Latching and locking device for a collapsible supporting leg structure



May 6, 1958 J. w. DRUMMOND 2,833,063 LATCHING AND LOCKING DEVICE FOR A COLLAPSIBLE SUPPORTING LEG STRUCTURE Flled May 27 1955 INVENTOR J WDrm m 0 72 TTORNEY h M\ Q k United States Patent "2,833,063 I 'LATCHING AND LOCKING DEVICE FOR A COLLAPSIBLE SUPPORTING LEG STRUC- Joseph Drummond, Waverly, ()hio ApplicationMay 27, 1955, Serial No. 511,634 I Claims. 7 eras-121 This invention relates to a novel latching and locking device for collapsible supporting leg structures such as are utilized primarily for supporting ironing boards and has for its primary object to provide a unit capable of latching a collapsible leg structurein different extended positionsfor supporting an ironing board at :dilferent selected elevations abovea supporting surface onwhich the leg structure rests, and which willeffectively retain the leg st ructure in a selected extended position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a locking and latching device which will enable a collapsible leg structure to.be quickly moved to a desired extended position or to be quickly released, when desired, toassume a folded or collapsed position substantially against and parallel to an ironing board or other top memberassociated therewith. a

More particularly, it is a primary object ofthe present invention to provide a latching and locking device including means for elfectively locking 'or holding .the latch in an engaged position to prevent an inadvertent re lease and collapse of the supporting leg structure as frequently occurs with conventional latching units.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a latching and locking unit or device requiring two separate and successive manual. operations to effect release of the' legs from an extended position to thus provide. a POSltlVG' holding means which will effectively prevent .inadvertent collapsing of the leg structure.

Still another bject of the invention to provide a latching and locking device wherein the two operations required to effect release of the device for collapsing. the

leg structure or for readjusting the leg. structure to a ice Referring more specifically to the drawing, the latching and locking device in its entirety and comprising the invention is designated generally 7 and includes a supporting bracket or frame, designated generally 8.- The supporting bracket or frame 8 has a substantially flat elongated top portion or wall 9 which is adapted to be disposed against the underside of a top member 10 to be supported bya collapsible leg structure. The member 10 is illustrated as a conventional ironing board and the top wall 9, of the bracket 8 is shown disposed against a portion of the underside of the board 10, near one end thereof and longitudinally thereof. The bracket or frame 8 is' secured to the ironing board 10 in any suitable manner as by a plurality of nut and bolt fastenings 11, the bolts of which are anchored in andextend downwardly from the ironing board 10, as best illustrated in Figure 4, through openings 12 of the top wall 9. The nuts of the fastenings 11 bear against the underside of the top wall 9 to secure the bracket immovably relative to the board 10.

The bracket or frame 8 includes depending side walls or flanges 13 and 14 which extend downwardly from the longitudinal side edges of the top wall 9 and which preferably extend from the outer end 15 of the bracket 8 and'terininate short of the inner end 16 thereof. The inner end 16 of the top wall 9, beyond the adjacent ends of the side walls 13 and 14, has struck-out depending side edge portions forming spaced substantially parallel downwardly extending lugs or ears 17 which are apertured. A pivot member 18 comprising a long bolt which extends through the apertures of the lugs 17 and a nut, which engages a threaded'end of said bolt, is supported by the spaced lugs 17..

a A latch member, designated generally 19, includes a pair of spaced substantially parallel legs 20 formed of fiat stock which is relatively wide. The legs 20 have corresponding ends fitting loosely between the lugs 17 and which are apertured to loosely engage the shank of ing the locking device in an operative position for maintaining a supporting leg structure in an extended position;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary bottom plan view, partly in section, taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 2-'-2 of Figure l and showing the latching and locking device in an operative position;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view, taken substantially, along a plane as indicated by the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view, 'taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 44 of Figure 2, and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view, taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 5-5 ofjFigure 4, and on a reduced scale relative to Figure 4.

the pivot member 18 for swingably mounting the latch member 19 on the bracket or frame 8 for movement toward and away from the wall 9 thereof. The legs 20 extend from the pivot member 18 to beyond the outer end 15 of the frame '8 and are integrally joined at their opposite ends by a crossbar or bight portion 21 which extends between the free ends of the legs 20. The legs 20 as seen in Figures 2 and 3 are provided on their bottom edges with longitudinally spaced corresponding notches 22 each including a transverse edge or shoulder 23 which faces toward the pivot member 18 and an inclined edge 24 which extends from the inner end of the shoulder 23 at an incline toward the bottom edge of said leg and in a direction toward the pivot 18. Each leg 20 also includes a notch 25 which is located between the pivot 18 and the notches 22 and which has substantially parallel edges which are disposed crosswise of the leg. The notches 22 of the two legs 20 are disposed in alignment with one another as are the notches 25, as seen in Figure 2. The notches 22 and 25 are disposed substantially intermediate of the ends of the latch 19.

The side walls 13 and 14 are provided with corresponding longitudinally extending aligned slots 26 which are located adjacent the bottom edges of said walls. A bolt or the like 27 extends across the bracket 8 and has threaded ends 28 which extend loosely through the slots 26. Each threaded end 28 supports an outer nut 29 and an inner nut 30, which nuts loosely straddle the side walls 13 and 14. The latch member 19 extends between the 'top wall 9 and the bolt 27.

A pair of transversely spaced supporting legs 31, constituting apart of a collapsible supporting leg structure 32, have complementary upper ends which are disposed 3 on the inner sides of and adjacent the walls 13 and 14 and through which the bolt ends 28 loosely extend, Said upper ends of the legs 31'- fit looselybetweeriRhefadiacent walls 13'and 14 and the nuts30. A bracketmember' 33 of any suitable construction is suitably secured 'toithe undersideof the board inlongitridinallyspaced 'relation to thedevice '7 andbetween'said device and theiboard end located remotetherefrom. One -or a pair "of .legs 3'4' of the supporting leg structure"32,.has an upper end or ends swingably connectedto the "bracket member 33 by a pivot member 35, such as a nu t;a'nd bolt, which. extends stood that the other loweror free ends of the '1eg s'31.

and 34, not shown, are adapted 'toreston a suitablefsupporting surface, not shown, such as a floor, as is con'ventiona-l, when the leg structure32 is in an extended position, as illustrated in Figure 1.

A spring 37 is spirallycoiled aboutthel pivot member 18 and has one end extending therefrom and bearing stop 45 which is disposed to engage a part of the locking member 39 to limit swinging movement thereof toward the bracket end 16 and which, in combination with the spring 44, normally maintains the locking member 39 in a downwardly andinwardly inclined position relative to theouter end of'the ,bracket.

When the rod or bolt 27 is'in'engagement with either two of the notches 22 or the notches 25, the spring 44 will urge thetlocking member 39 to its operative position as illustrated in Figures 2 to 5 with its intermediate portion '42 disposed between thelegs and with the portions 43 thereof engaging or substantially engaging upper edges of the legs 20. With the locking member 39 thus disposed, it will be readily apparent that the latch 19 is held against upward swinging movement away from the bolt or rod 27 and thus theifbolt is locked in the notches*engaged thereby to prevent collapsing of the leg structure 32 ormovementof the leg'structure to a different extended position. Byengaging the portion 42 with ,the fingers, 'the locking member may be swung from against the underside of the wall 9 and an oppositeend 38 which extends from the coiled intermediate portion and has a laterally turned terminal which engages over the upper edge of one of the legs 20. The spring 37 thus urges the latch member 19 to swing downwardly about its pivot 18 away from the wall 9. The-notches'22'and are disposed in the portions of the legs 20which are located between the slots'26. Thus, the bolt 27 mayengage either ofthe complementary notches 22 of the two legs 20 or the notches 25 for maintaining the legs 31' and 34 in different extended positions relativ'e'to the ironing board 10. The spring 37 will u'rge the latch member 19 downwardly to maintain complementary notches thereof in engagement with the bolt on rod' 27. However, it

will be readily apparent that if'the outer end 21 of the latch is inadvertently struck and-swung upwardly ortoward the board 10 that the latch will thus be disengaged from the bolt or rod 27 permitting said rod and the leg ends connected thereto to move toward'the outer or 1e'ft hand ends of the slots26, as seen in Figure 1,to thus permit a collapsing of the leg structure 32 so that the ironing board 10 will be released to drop toward the floor. ,Suchlan occurrence can obviously cause injury to a person standing adjacent the structure.

To avoid'this undesirable result, the device 7 also includes a locking member, designated-generally, comprising a rod or shaft havingaligned ends Which are journaled in aligned openings 41 of the walls 13 and 14. The openings 41 are disposed adjacent the outer end 15 of the bracket 8 and beneath and adjacent' the top wall 9, as seen in Figures 1, 3 and 5. As best seen in Figure 4, the locking member 39 includes an intermediate por-,

tion 42 which is ofiset to a considerable extentrelative to the end portions 40, and complementaryxaligned substantially straight portions 43 which are offset relative to the end portions 40 and intermediate portion 42 and which are disposed nearer the axisof the end portions 40 than the intermediate portion 42. Theintermediate portion 42 is of a length substantially less than the spacing between the legs 20 to fit loosely therein. The spacing between the adjacent. ends of the portions 43 is less than the spacing between the legs 20 while the spacing between the remote ends of the portions 43 is substantially greater than the spacing between the legs 20, as seen in Figure 4. A tension spring 44 has one end anchored to one of the parts 43 and. extendstherefrom towardthe inner end of the bracket 8 .and has its opposite end-.an-

choredto a partof the'adjac'entleg20pfor urging the right to'left and upwardly to a released position in aplane'substantially parallel to the plane of the wall'9 and while thus disposed, the rod or bolt 27 may be caused to slide, from-left toright of Figure 3 to furtherextend the legistructure 32 or while holding the lock 39 in a released position another part of the. same hand may be utilized to engage, the latch portion 21 .toswing thelatch upwardly to effect a different adjustment of the leg structure by -moving the rod 27 to a positionlto engage other of the notches 22 or 25 'or for completely collapsing the leg structure by displacing the rod. 27 toa position beydnd' -tliefleft handnotches-ZZ which itengages in Figures 2 and'3, and so that'the latch will then'be retained in a releasedposition while the leg structure is completely collapsed; '-It will be-apparentthat the otherfhand of the user will be; free tosupport the ironing board 10 during such adjustments of the leg structure and while theylatch 1'9 and lock 39-are held manually in released positions.

'It will also "be readily apparent that the latch 19 and lock ,39 will automatically assume their respective'latching and lockingpositions of Figures 2 to 5 by'operation Qofthe springs 37 and 44,- respectively, when the legs are thereafter moved to. an extended position with the rod 27 positioned for engagement .withany of the latch notches.

locking member'39- to swing towardthe inner-bracket end It will also be understood that the locking device 7 is adaptedfor use with similar leg structures employed for supporting other members than the ironing board 10.

Various other modifications and changes arelikewise contemplated and may obviously be resorted to, without departing from the spirit or scope ofthe invention. as hereinafter defined by theappended' claims.

I i I clair'n as my invention:

tudinally extending aligned slots, the upper end of the other leg or group of'leg's'of the supporting leg structure being loosely disposed in said bracket between said side .walls, a rod member extending through said last mentioned upper leg end andhaving endportions slidably, engaging and turnably disposed" in said. slots 'for slidably and pivotally connecting said last mentioned portion of the leg structure to said bracket and for sliding movement of said portion toward a'nd 'away from said pivot means, said rod member being supported by the side walls beneath and spaced from the top member, an elogated latch member disposed in said bracket and longitudinally thereof, pivot means swingably connecting one end of said latch member to an end of the bracket located nearest said first mentioned pivot means for swinging movement of the latch member toward and away from the top member and in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the top member, said latch member ex tending from the pivot means thereof away from said first mentioned pivot means and having a portion extending loosely between the top member and rod member, said portion having longitudinally spaced notches in an underside thereof for selective engagement with said rod member in an operative position of the latch member for releasably latching said rod member and the portion of the leg structure connected thereto to the bracket to retain the leg structure in difierent extended positions relative to the top member, and a locking member having end portions journaled in said side walls remote from the latch pivot and including a part offset relative to the end portions in a direction away from the top member in an operative position of the locking member and disposed between the top member and a part of the latch member and in engagement with the latch member, to prevent swinging movement of the latch member toward the top member and to a position for releasing said rod member from engagement with the notch of the latch member engaged by the rod member.

2. A structure as in claim 1, said offset latch member engaging part of the locking member being downwardly offset relatively to the ends of the locking member in the operative position of the locking member and being swingable upwardly and away from the pivoted end of said latch member to a released position of the locking member, spring means urging the locking member to swing toward an operative position, and a stop projecting inwardly from one of said side walls and disposed to be engaged by a part of said locking member in an operative position of the locking member, said stop cooperating with said spring for normally retaining the locking member in an operative position.

3. A structure as in claim 2, said latch member including spaced substantially parallel legs and a crossbar connecting corresponding ends of said legs at the free end of said latch member, said locking member having an intermediate portion offset from the axis of its end portions to a greater extent than said first mentioned ofiset portion and disposed between spaced sections of said first mentioned offset portion, said intermediate portion of the locking member being disposed between the latch legs and spaced from the crossbar of the latch in an operative position of said locking member.

4. A structure as in claim 3, and spring means bearing against said latch member for urging the latch member downwardly and toward a latching position;

5. A structure as in claim 1, spring means bearing against said latch member for urging the latch member downwardly and toward a latching position, and a second spring means connected to and urging the locking member to swing toward an operative position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 346,145 Bunce July 27, 1886 700,054 Knapp May 13, 1902 1,359,527 Reed Nov. 23, 1920 2,517,696 Miller Aug. 8, 1950 2,662,319 Hortman Dec. 15, 1953 2,760,286 Voigt et al. Aug. 28, 1956 

